James Henry Edward Holford (1873-1936)
Leicestershire man served with 12th DLI awarded the DSO and Bar
James Henry Edward Holford, the son of Thomas and Margaret Holford, was born at Papillon Hall, Leicestershire on 22 December 1873. He had two brothers and a sister and attended Rugby School.
On 7 March 1894 he was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant into the 7th Hussars and took part in the Second Ndebele Matabele War in 1896. He was promoted to lieutenant in May 1898 and when fighting with the Ashanti Field Force was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, which was presented to him by the King on 12 March 1901. On 7 July in the same year he married Blanche Grosvenor, daughter of Lord and Lady Stalbridge, and they had three daughters and a son. In October 1901 he was promoted to captain and was later transferred to the 2nd Battalion Cheshire Regiment. In March 1905 he was promoted to major and later transferred to the Nottinghamshire Regiment (Sherwood Rangers) attached to the 12th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.
James landed in France in October 1917 and the following month went to Italy with the Battalion. He was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel and was awarded a Bar to the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his actions while commanding the battalion at the River Piave in the autumn of 1918. In 1919 he was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael & St George and the following year he retired back to Cann, near Shaftesbury in Dorset and in 1921 he relinquished his commission and was granted the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel with permission to wear the prescribed uniform. Later he became a JP [Justice of the Peace] for Cheshire and moved to Wales.
His award of the DSO was gazetted on 15 January 1901 and the citation reads:
“In recognition of services during the recent operations in Ashanti”.
The award of the Bar to his DSO was gazetted on 1 February 1919 and the citation reads:
“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in command of a battalion during the operations on the Piave from October 27th to 30th, 1918. Under heavy machine-gun fire he frequently reorganised his battalion and led them forward to their next objective, showing a total disregard for his own safety. His courage and able leadership were most marked”.
Birth date: 22-Dec-1873
Death date: 7-Jun-1936
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: Papillon Hall, Bitteswell, Lincolnshire(1911 Census)
South Mill House, Castle Hill, Buckland Newton, Dorset (1881 Census)
School Sanatorium, Rugby School, Rugby, Warwickshire (1891 Census)
Stanhope & Wellington Lines, Aldershot, Hampshire (1901 Census)
The Paddocks, New Milton, Hampshire (1911 Census)
‘Cherry Orchard’, Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset (UK, City and County Directories, 1915 – 1922)
Lodge Park, Machynlleth, Montgomeryshire, Wales (England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1936)
Education: Rugby School, Rugby, Warwickshire
Family: Father: Thomas Holford
Mother: Margaret Holford (nee Loveden)
Siblings: Margaret Ann, Thoma Pryse Arthur & John Carbury Holford
Wife: Blanche Holford (nee Grosvenor)
Children: Margaret Blanche, Eleanor Constance, Elizabeth Joan & Percy Harold Holford
Military service:
7th Hussars
Captain
2nd Battalion Cheshire Regiment
Major
Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (Sherwood Foresters)
Major
12th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
Temporary Lieutenant Colonel
Medal(s): Companion of the Order of St Michael & St George
Distinguished Service Order & Bar
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Gender: Male
Contributed by John Edwards
